Abberance
by Silpelit7
Summary: Maxwell Kumoharu, an Abberance in Tokyo3. Recruited by NERV and brought to Japan by Ikari Gendo himself, he is quoted to be a sort of insurance policy against the SEELE Committee. The first of the Lebensborn, Maxwell Kumoharu.
1. The Beginning

Project: Abberance  
Supervisor: Silpelit7  
Final Genesis Evangelion Committee  
An alternate universe / self-insert fan fiction 

The once frozen tundra of what used to be the American state of Alaska was now a kind of "refugee's heaven". The whole area had been heavily bombed in the war which followed the Second Impact. After numerous border skirmishes between the United States and Russia, it was now considered by the world's governments to be an autonomous group. People of all nations who were left discouraged and homeless by that senseless war gathered in Alaska and formed a society which was a throwback from what was considered "modern." Bartering was the most common form of exchange, rather than a commerce system which used placeholders as money.

Kumoharu Maxwell was a second-generation refugee, one could say. Born shortly after the Second Impact, his mother was killed during the wars while defending her home country of Japan. His father, a Japanese-American, had moved himself and his newborn son to the Alaskan frontier, as many people did in those days. That man died in 2010 from natural causes, leaving his son in the care of his good friends the Earharts. The year was now 2015. Kumoharu, called Kumo or Cloud by his close friends, had just returned from America. No one knew why he had been called to visit a series of army bases in the American southwest, save for Maxwell and his surrogate family. The Earharts had been expecting such a letter in their mail ever since their young charge had turned 14 on the first of October, 2014.

As Kumo continued the walk from the nearest airport, more than five miles away from his hometown of Anchorage, a sudden voice behind him prompted an inward smile. "Hey, Cloud!" He stopped walking and turned to his left. Sure enough, the daughter of his caretakers and his closest friend, Tifa Earhart, was calling his name. "What's wrong?" she asked as she reached his location. He slowly turned and began walking again towards his destination.

"Oh, nothing," he stated, trying to make his voice sound light. He noticed the unsure glare she was giving him and sighed. He silently reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to her without a word. He continued to walk, enjoying the crisp clean air of his home after being in the sweltering heat of Nevada for four months.

"This says you're to be moved to Japan, to Neo Tokyo-3, until further notice... upon your arrival back here! You've barely been back in town five minutes and you're already leaving again?" she asked. Maxwell could not look at her directly, but rather looked at the sun which hung in the background. He nodded slowly. "Are you excited? This is what you've been waiting for, right?" He made no response. "I talked to my parents. They told me everything," she continued with a guilty voice. His face hardened suddenly, for he had hoped they wouldn't tell Tifa.

"So then you know what I've been doing there," he finally responded, his tone flat.

"Not exactly, but I know its important for the safety of everyone. But hey, at least all these years you've been studying Japanese will come in handy, right?" she said in an attempt to cheer her friend up. She put a hand on his shoulder and pushed gently. "Well, let's go home. I'm sure you'd like a nice long shower, and I can get your things prepared."

--

Subcaption 1 Arrival

--

Kumoharu Maxwell, or rather Maxwell Kumoharu, was escorted from the military plane to a black executive-style sedan which was waiting near the runway. Three large men in black suits and dark sunglasses, looking like secret service agents, also waited near the car. Kumoharu's faded black T-shirt and baggy blue jeans didn't quite match those men. He was forced to sit between two of the men in the car's back seat on an uncomfortably long ride from the airport to Tokyo-3. They spoke into their small microphones on occasion, but nothing Kumo could make much sense of. After nearly an hour, the car finally stopped. Kumo shook his mind back into motion as he recognized the car's transmission shifting into "Park." The two men which had been the source of his discomfort got out of the vehicle simultaneously, prompting him to do the same. Of course he silently complied and watched as they took his suitcases and boxed items out of the car's trunk, placing them on the sidewalk next to him.

Maxwell was uncomfortable again, but in a different way, as crowds of people walked by the scene. Many of them said nothing, but some of the younger generations made vocal note of their observations. "Oh, look at him, he must be the son of some dignitary," they said. Some people were not so kind, shouting things like "rich bastard!" When the two men were done, one approached him with a small piece of paper and a keycard. Kumo took them and looked at the paper, which turned out to be a picture of some attractive older woman in a revealing t-shirt and cut-off shorts.

'Apartment 312, here is a keycard. Captain Katsuragi Misato. Meet me tomorrow at this address at 10 a.m., OK?'

Below was a local address and something else scribbled near the bottom. 'P.S., look at these curves!' it read, which arrows pointing to her legs and cleavage. Maxwell, eyebrows raised, looked up from the picture at the imposing man. The man nodded stiffly before returning to the vehicle, which promptly sped off into the distance. The younger man watched as it disappeared, his hand which carried his keycard and the provocative photo falling limply to his side. "Thanks for the help," he said sarcastically as his eyes fell to the pile of his belongings around him, "with my stuff."

--

Kumo suddenly sat straight up, an awkward scream creeping out of his mouth before he realized it and cut off his voice. He found himself breathing quite heavily, and he was covered in cold sweat. He looked to the small digital clock next to his bed.

3:29 in the morning.

Kumo immediately started blaming jet lag or the change of surroundings on the nightmare from which he had just awakened, but he knew the truth. Ever since he had been brought to Nevada, he had nightmares all the time. None of the military psychologists could explain or cure them. He knew he would not be able to fall back asleep, so instead of laying in bed until sunrise as he normally did, he got out of bed and began unpacking.

By the time eight o'clock rolled around, he was totally unpacked and arranged. He found the apartment was completely stocked with furniture and food, and he was grateful for both. After a quick shower, he caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom's large mirror. At just about two meters tall, his thin body looked like a poorly fleshed-out skeleton. He wasn't muscular or physically fit, but he simply had a very fast metabolism which had always caused him to look unhealthily thin. He kept his black hair short all the time, simply because he didn't like the idea of having to comb or style his hair every day. His wire-framed glasses did little to hide the bags under his eyes. They had been there for several months and showed no sign of retreating, no matter how much he slept. His round black eyes, something he had always hated in the predominantly Caucasian Alaska, could now be considered an asset. After all, now he would look like everyone else.

The young man changed out of his pajamas and took a hot shower, trying to rid himself of the images from his nightmares. After finding a semi-casual buttoned shirt and khaki pants, he decided he should probably eat before leaving. After all, he had no idea how much of his day would be absorbed by this meeting. The refrigerator was stocked will all sorts of sausage and egg, among other things, which did little good since Kumoharu was not a very good cook. Thankfully, a single box of cereal and a bag of bagels were also in stock.

He arrived at the proposed meeting location a half hour early. It turned out the address was a small park just a few blocks from the apartment complex where he was residing. Kumo took little note of the scenery as he tried to listen in on others' conversations in an attempt to brush up on his Japanese. After all, he had never been around more than three or four people who spoke the language. He found a bench and took a seat, trying to read a newspaper he had picked up on the way. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?" a voice asked. Maxwell shook his head without a second thought and felt the person sit down. He immediately felt uncomfortable, as if the person was looking at him. "This is nice weather we've been having."

Kumoharu slowly turned and looked, confirming his suspicion. It was the woman from the provocative photo. Thankfully she was wearing something more appropriate on this meeting. She wore a moderately short-cut black dress and red flight jacket. "Captain... Katsuragi?" he asked slowly, not wanting to accidentally mispronouce her name.

"Call me Misato, Kumo-kun." Kumo turned the rest of his body so he wasn't looking at her over his shoulder and nodded. "Nice to meet you, too," she said a little sarcastically. "So, trouble sleeping?" He nodded again, his eyes straying to his feet. "Yea, I understand. I just came back today from Germany, so I didn't sleep much on the plane last night either."

"Am I... to be your subordinate?" he asked, again speaking slowly. She put a finger to he chin and seemed to be thinking.

"Kind of. You understand what's going on here, correct? You know why you're here?" He nodded. "Well, as far as I know, I'm set to be the tactical commander in charge of attack and defense. That's what they told me. Actually, I have only been here a week or so." The pair sat in silence for nearly ten minutes before Misato spoke again. "Hey, do you want to see something cool?" she asked, her voice enthusiastic again.

"Sure."

--

Gospel of the New Century EVANGELION: Abberance

Chapter 01: The Beginning

--

Maxwell did not have much experience in the passenger seats of cars, but from what he could gather,... Captain Katsuragi was either a very poor driver or a very good one. In any case the pair soon arrived at a small rest area on one of the mountain roads which surrounded Tokyo-3. The sun was high in the azure afternoon sky, reflecting off the windows of the high-rise buildings at the center of the city.

"A friend of mine suggested that I check this place out. It's really something... The city, I mean. Built into a naturally defensive valley, this city is the most technologically advanced of its kind," the older woman stated quietly before continuing in a serious tone. "I asked you before if you knew why you had been brought here. You know what this city really is, then?"

Maxwell nodded slowly, still looking out over the city. "I know about some things, like the Geofront which is located beneath the city. The important buildings can be lowered by elevator into the Geofront, affording some level of safety for the civilians in the city. I guess that there is a military base on the floor of the Geofront as well. That's where you are stationed at, right?" He made no eye contact with his companion, trying to give off a sense of unattachment. He focused on nothing in particular off in the distance.

"Well, its not really a military base. It's the headquarters of the special organization called NERV. We are backed by the government and military of the countries where we have bases, but we operate outside of their constraints in order to defend ourselves. The Americans are very closely involved with our branch in Nevada, so I can understand why you thought we were a military organization."

"Hm." The boy took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, suddenly feeling the weight of the sleep he had been missing.

"Oh, tired already?" He shook his head and finally turned to face Misato as he placed the glasses back on his face. "Well, I guess my next obvious question is... You've already had some experience with the simulation and synchronization testing, correct?"

"Yes. And to answer your next 'obvious' question, I know about the Evangelion weapons, but that's about the extent of my knowledge."

"Well, at least we're both on the same page. You're a smart kid, you know?" Kumoharu suddenly scowled just a little and turned his back on the city and Misato.

"I guess I should say 'thank you,'" he said after a while.

"What's the matter? Do you think I'm just saying that, or what? I read what's in your file. You were ranked in the top two percent of all school children in the Alaskan area, isn't that correct? Or was that a typo?" Misato was intentionally trying to press this kid's buttons in order to get some real information out of him. However, from his hardened face to his crossed arms, it didn't seem to be working. "Well, what is it? Was there some kind of mistake on your grade?"

"Probably," he sighed.

"Modesty doesn't suit you, ya know!" Misato teased.

"Both of my parents were intelligent people. My mother was a military strategist, like you, and my father was an engineer. I was also raised by people who expected a lot of me. But of course, you already know all of this from my file, so I don't know why I'm telling you," Maxwell explained with a little resentment creeping into his words.

"That can be hard, to grow up surrounded with such high hopes and always be pushed further." The young man finally turned and opened his eyes, smiling just enough to be noticeabe.

"Nah, that's OK. Otherwise I'd get bored." The pair left in a mutual silence, sharing just a little more respect for each other. "Oh, by the way, do make a living trying to seduce young men with provocative pictures, or is that just some weird fetish?"

"Oh, you jerk!" the Captain yelled cheerfully.

--

Through luck or lack of caffeine, Maxwell Kumoharu managed to sleep until ten A.M. the next morning. It was the first good night's sleep he had experienced in several long weeks. There were no nightmares that night. As he ventured outside, he noticed the nameplate beside the apartment's door. His surname was spelled out in the English script, with his first name in kanji. A small smile crossed his face as he thought of his mother for just a moment. She would have been happy for him to be living in her homeland.

Today he was scheduled to meet Captain Katsuragi once again. This time he would be introduced to the Geofront, NERV headquarters, and its staff. Unbeknownst to Maxwell, the EVA-00 and EVA-01 were being prepared for him. Although those units both had designated pilots already, knowledge of the pilot's eligibility could be important.

The young man enjoyed Tokyo-3. It was a great deal warmer here than in Alaska, but it was a welcome change to him. He enjoyed being surrounded by the clean and organized city, an ultramodern interpretation of a perfect metropolis. After an hour or so of wandering, Kumoharu found himself in sight of the local secondary school. The horror of being put on display in front of a group of unfamiliar faces was overwhelming, so he quickly decided to make a walk towards his final destination.

Meanwhile, below the surface of the city, the supreme commander of NERV conversed with its top science officer. The pair stood alone in front of the cages which held Evangelion Units 00 and 01. "I really didn't expect the Fourth Children to appear so suddenly, for some reason," Doctor Akagi Ritsuko explained softly.

"And why is that?" the cold inflection that was the natural tone of Ikari Gendo replied. "Everything is going according to plan."

"Oh yes, that reassures me. What a deep insight into the situation at hand, Commander," the blond replied, her sarcastic yet playful voice all too familiar to Ikari by now. "To answer your question, I was under the impression that the Fourth wasn't supposed to be here so soon. Unit 03 is still being constructed by the Americans, along with Unit 04."

"What led you to believe the Fourth would pilot Unit 03?" The frankness of the Commander's voice surprised Akagi. Even her face, which she had trained to hide most emotions, betrayed some of the shock she felt.

"... Well, Rei could potentially pilot any EVA which we should choose for her. Soryu Asuka Langley, the Second Children, has already been training with the simulations of Unit 02 for several months already. That EVA should be completed soon. Also, you had mentioned your own son, Shinji..." Her voice trailed off as the colder-than-usual glare of Ikari. "Anyway, we already have all three positions filled. There is no rational reason for a fourth to be here at this time."

"My dear doctor, you have never taken any sort of preventative measures? Never made a backup of any vital data? Perhaps you have not renewed your life insurance yet?" The silence of the Evangelions was immense. They seemed to emit a kind of power which wasn't exactly felt, but was still very noticeable if one only took a moment.

"So this child is... insurance? What was his name?" The doctor suddenly began flipping through the pages of the notebook in her hands.

"Maxwell Kumoharu," the Commander said confidently, a small smirk on his face. "While his early arrival is not completely in accordance with the Committee's wishes, I now can enjoy a meager degree of security because of him. He may not help any of the problems we will encounter, but his value will be evident in the near future."

"So, you're using him to shield yourself?" The doctor's voice was not judgmental, but a simple question. "One child can only do so much." Commander Ikari did not respond immediately, but instead looked up at the huge form of Unit 01.

"You would be surprised, doctor, at what children can achieve. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go meet with him."

--

"I didn't expect NERV's headquarters to be so large," Maxwell stated quietly. He had been following Misato around for the past half hour. The Geofront had been what he expected, although the orange 'sunlight' was strange to him. "It must have cost a lot."

"Well, the survival of humanity is a high priority on the UN's budget list, I guess," Misato stated lightly, her nose buried in a rather large map. Although Kumoharu was too polite to say so, he recognized the numbers on the bulkhead. He'd seen those exact numbers three times already since they had arrived at the base called 'Central Dogma.' He realized that Misato, who had admittedly only been in Tokyo-3 for a week, was lost.

After another half hour of walking, Misato had deviated from her meandering path enough to reach an elevator. "Is this it?" she asked no one in particular. She considered her options as Kumoharu listened to the clicking of the mechanical floor display. Suddenly, as the clicking ceased, the doors to the elevator slid open. Misato didn't seem to notice as an imposing bearded man beckoned Kumoharu into the elevator. "Misato," he said as he walked past her.

The older man pushed the 'door close' button immediately after Maxwell was inside the elevator car. The Captain lowered the map just in time to shout, "Hey!" as the elevator was sealed shut. The clicking started again as the elevator began moving downwards. The two men stood on opposite sides of the car, evaluating each other.

"You must work for NERV," Kumoharu finally stated. The man's orange-shaded glasses, which had previously hidden his eyes because of some odd kind of light reflection, now glinted in a different way to reveal his worn eyes. The man extended a white-gloved hand, which Kumoharu grasped firmly as they shook hands.

"My name is Ikari Gendo. I am the commander of NERV," the older man said strongly as they released each other's hands. Maxwell nodded slowly.

"I remember your name now, from the invitation I received after my birthday. Sorry I wasn't able to visit the Geofront back then; it's quite beautiful," he responded in a similar tone. "We talked back then a little about the Evangelions. I can't say I understand anything more at this point, even after the preiminary testing and synchronization training I went through at Nevada." Although he wouldn't realize it until later, Kumo was much more talkative around this relative stranger.

"If I recall correctly, our conversation was very interesting back then, and it seems as if not much has changed." Kumoharu shrugged a little and pushed his hands into his pockets.

"I was training from the time of your first request until just a couple days ago. I had barely been home for a few minutes before I got your next letter. I got in yesterday, and the Captain showed me my apartment. I guess I have you to thank for the furniture and food." The Commander snickered just a little.

"We're here." The clicking stopped and the doors slid open to reveal a new area, which Kumoharu didn't recognize. The two men stepped forward into the unknown. Maxwell quickly deduced that this large room was the command room of NERV headquarters. Ikari and Maxwell joined a man, perhaps in his early sixties, who was dressed in a uniform similar to Ikari's. "Fuyutsuki, this is the Fourth Children, Maxwell Kumoharu. Maxwell, this is my second-in-charge, Fuyutsuki Kouzou."

Kumo bowed stiffly as the older of the three men evaluated this new development. Ikari had made no mention to him of a 'Fourth' being found. Then again, Ikari held many secrets and was the most deceitful and coniving person Fuyutsuki could think of, so it wasn't a huge surprise. "I see. Well, I can tell you are taking this young man under your wing, Commander. You are in capable hands," the old man stated to Kumoharu.

"This is the Announcement Room. From here we monitor a great deal of information coming into headquarters. NERV relies heavily on the assistance of the MAGI, which are the three supercomputers housed on the lowest level of the command room. The MAGI also control Tokyo-3," Ikari said, continuing his education of Maxwell.

--

Meanwhile, Dr. Akagi Ritsuko had decided to rescue her lost friend once again. "I swear, Misato, the next time you get lost in here, I will not help you. It's ridiculous!" Misato shied away from her companion as the doctor shook a large manilla folder at her. Truthfully, Misato thought she was being misled by Ritsuko, because the corridors all looked the same to her.

"I told you I was sorry, jeez! This map you gave me isn't worth the paper it's written on. How do you expect me to escort the newly arrived Children around the base with this junk map! At least you could give me a GPS-equipped phone instead of this ancient thing which you claim is standard issue!"

"I can't help it if the budget began to run thin just before you arrived, Captain," Akagi responded, emphasizing the word 'captain.'

"Yea..." Misato sighed, dropping the issue. "So, what's up with that kid?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I mean, Ayanami Rei is the First Children, but this Maxwell guy is the Fourth? Aren't we missing a couple kids?" Ritsuko walked just a little faster towards the second test lab. "Is he related to the Commander or something? I mean, it seemed like Ikari came to meet that kid."

"No, they are of no relation. Haven't you read his file?" Akagi asked as the pair rounded a corner.

"I did, but weren't there some parts missing? There were parts cut out, pieces of his history gone, ya know?"

"Don't probe too deeply just yet, Misato. That's my advice as your friend and co-worker. Anyway, we're here." Misato suddenly looked up to find a door labeled "SECOND TEST BAY."

"Now wait, how the hell did we get here?" Misato wondered as she followed Ritsuko into the observation room. The Commander and Vice Commander, as well as the bridge crew, were already waiting.

"Alright. Now that everyone is here, we will begin the first activation test between Unit 00 and the Fourth Children."

End Chapter 01

AN: When I say self-insert, it's not totally me. Its the parts of my I dislike; its my self image. I don't think highly of myself, so I don't think very highly of my character.


	2. Defence Mechanism, Artificial Human EVA

Project: Abberance  
Supervisor: Silpelit7   
Final Genesis Evangelion Committee   
An alternate universe fan fiction 

"Alright. Now that everyone is here, we will begin the first activation test between Unit 00 and the Fourth Children." The Commander's voice rebounded through the otherwise silent room for just a moment. Then, the bustle of activity which followed destroyed any loose soundwaves which remained. The pilot's chair was lifted into the plug and set into the entry plug. The small grin on Ikari's face wasn't seen by anyone as the entry plug was inserted into the orange giant, the prototype artificial human, Evangelion Unit 00.

FIRST MUTUAL COMPATABILITY TEST   
SUBJECTS: EVA 00 / MAXWELL KUMOHARU(4)

Kumoharu sat inside the empty cylinder, biding his time. The special clothing which the commander had referred to as a 'plug suit' bothered him to some extent. The material felt as if it was invisible since it clung so tightly to his skin. Although he would never admit it, he was ashamed that his body was so fragile. He often felt inferior to his peers because of his scrawny appearance, and this suit only multiplied the way he felt. The black material was some kind of elastic fabric. Vacuum held it so tightly to his body.

There was some kind of mechanical boom pierced the cylinder, and Kumoharu felt movement. It was disorienting, to feel the sensation of movement but to see none. When the sounds ceased, they were replaced with an even deeper silence. He assumed that the entry plug had been inserted into the EVA. He was inside one of the most powerful weapons ever created by Man. Kumoharu had been training for this moment for months and had prepared for much longer.

It felt odd, somehow different from the American plugs. Because of the angle of the pilot's seat, his rear end was on the same level as his feet. His knees were bent up slightly, probably to be able to push down on the pedals which were under his feet. The back of the seat was bent slightly back, just between comfort and clear sight. Within perfect reach of his hands were two handles and triggers, probably to fire weapons. Kumoharu found through examination that the handles also moved towards and away from him. Behind the chair was a compact bank of computers, and beyond that there was nothing remarkable about the plug. The walls of the plug were totally smooth.

A male voice suddenly filled the hollow area. "Filling entry plug."

As Maxwell had expected, the light orange liquid called LCL began creeping up his legs and torso. The first complete breath of LCL always caught him off-guard. He managed to supress a cough on this occasion. "Beginning A-10 nerve connection." There was a tugging feeling at Kumoharu's body for just a few seconds, but he merely looked forward. He didn't realize it, but his jaw had clenched quite tightly.

The LCL pressurization and subsequent visual uplinks surprised Kumoharu. During his testing in Nevada, a real activation had never been attempted. "The harmonics are not too bad, considering the information we got from the Second branch was quite patchy." A small holographic window of Akagi had appeared in the area to Kumoharu's left. "Synchro-rate is below 25 and seems to be climbing very slowly."

There were several long minutes after the screen disappeared from the LCL. Kumoharu tried not to be nervous, since he knew that would mess up the results of the testing. No one contacted him as the LCL de-electrolyzed and the plug was ejected. The Fourth Children found his own way back to the pilot's dressing room to wash off the remaining liquid. He could not shake off the feeling that he had lost something to that thing, Evangelion Unit 00.

----

Fuyutsuki stood at the railing of the command level in the Announcement Room, watching over the teams of techs analyze the information from the compatability test from earlier in the week. Synchro-rate and harmonics were barely above the standard of average, psychograph and other mental readings were a little unstable. Nothing out of the ordinary. So he was not surprised when the hidden phone rose out of the floor next to Ikari's desk. The Commander answered calmly.

"Please continue your observations," he stated before disappearing into the lower levels of the command room, the special elevator which led to the Committee's meetings. The old professor sighed nodded.

"Their first meeting in nearly three years... Although I can't help but think it is not a positive thing," Fuyutsuki silently noted.

Ikari took a seat in the pitch black room and waited for those old men who formed the Human Instrumentality Program Committee to be linked into their own positions. The men, whose names were all but unknown, appeared in their seats. The holograhps were bathed in different shades of light; only Ikari and the man to his opposite were under a normal lighting. Kihl Lorenz, the founder of NERV and originator of the South Pole expeditions, was the mastermind behind decyphering the Dead Sea Scrolls.

"Commander, this meeting, as we're sure you have assumed, is concerning the unexpected arrival of the Fourth Children," yellow stated snidely, his tone nothing if not demeaning in nature.

"If you're trying to deviate from our scenario, then you will be punished with death," blue added coldly.

"I assure you, I have done nothing to jeopardize the Committee's plans," Ikari Gendo said, emphasizing the word 'assure' ever so slightly. He had been manipulating people for a long time, and it had grown into a valuable skill.

"Then how do you explain his sudden arrival in Tokyo-3?" red asked in outrage. "It seems like you even brought him there from the Alaskan territories! How much of our money do you plan on frivolously wasting, Ikari!"

"We also recently learned that you have already had this Fourth Children attempt an activation test with the prototype Unit 00, which already has a designated pilot. In addition, it wouldn't be surprising to see you use Unit 01 as well. I don't see how you believe you can fool us into thinking that he is of no use?" the deep voice of Lorenz questioned.

"Of course he is useful, even at this early stage. The activation of Unit 00 with the Fourth Children went smoothly, with no malfunctions. At the current time, he has no concrete position. However, I believe his value will become magnified with time and serve his purpose," Ikari responded strongly.

"Do not try to go over us in this matter. It was proven in the initial Project EVA testing that people with that specific genetic abberation, which that child also carries, cannot successfully utilize an EVA," blue pointed out.

"That testing was also marked inconclusive, if I remember correctly, because of the small number of subjects with the 'abberant' genes," rebutted the Commander.

"Ikari, you will respect our chain of command," said chairman Kihl. "That is all we shall speak of such matters at this time."

--

Gospel of the New Century EVANGELION: Abberance   
Chapter 02: Defence Mechanism, Artificial Human EVA

--

"Misato-san, you're saying I will also have to get into the other one?"

Maxwell sat across from the captain at a local hamburger joint. Western-styled fast food chains had prospered in the post-Impact Japan, due in part to a major overhaul of the healthiness of the food. The UN had set much more strict rules concerning such things. After all, the preservation of a healthy and fit Mankind was important.

"Yes, that's what the Commander wanted. Unit 00 already has a designated pilot, so it's only natural to let you test Unit 01 as well," she said nonchalantly. Misato sat back and gazed blankly across the restaurant, observing its patrons.

Kumoharu, on the other hand, was hunched over his cheeseburger. It was the center of his attention even though he had no interest in it besides food. If he only concentrated on the burger, he wouldn't have to make eye contact with anyone, which gave him a great deal of security.

"I was told at the Second Branch that I would pilot either Unit 03 or 04, which were almost totally constructed when I was there last. But it was just a supposition, I guess..." he trailed off.

There was a long moment of silence as Kumoharu pondered over his meal. "Hey, you're afraid of contact with unfamiliar people, aren't you?" Her voice was nearly a whisper, just barely loud enough for her companion to hear. His head snapped up, expecting her to be sneering at him, judging him. Instead, he found her still looking across the establishment at nothing in particular.

"I guess... You could say that's true," he admitted, eyes falling back down towards the table. "I can't handle rejection. So I just avoid them altogether."

"Sounds like you've given it some thought."

"I don't mesh with people very well," he quickly countered, hoping she would end her questioning. He felt uncomfortable speaking about himself, even if she was his superior.

"So you just don't talk to them?" she asked softly. Misato had known people like him in the past; shy ones who needed a gentle touch and a listening ear. She felt bad for him. He was supposed to save the world by piloting EVA, but he couldn't even talk with another person?

"No. I can't remember the last time I approached someone just to talk." His voice was hushed and unusually soft. The usual sharpness of his eyes seemed to melt away just a little.

"Not even a cute girl you liked?" He noticeably blushed and looked away from Misato again.

"No, that's too embarassing. I went through a tough time after my father's death... I just don't know how to feel those kinds of things anymore. It even feels awkward to smile, and I felt like I looked strange doing happy things. So I just taught myself not to show anything."

"I think it shows that you have a lot of self control." The boy shrugged his slumped shoulders.

"Not really. I get nervous talking to anyone, like my brain moves much faster than my mouth. I stutter a lot... It's pathetic," Kumoharu sighed.

"You're doing OK now." Misato thought he blushed again, but it might have been an illusion.

"Yea, well... Some people are just easier to talk to, I guess," he explained, trying to find an easy way out of the situation. "Plus since I'm not really used to Japanese, I have to think about what I say anyway... I just don't feel comfortable around people."

"Oh. Don't you every feel lonely?" This kid was good at making excuses for himself.

"Yea," he sighed, resting his chin on a hand. "Sometimes."

"Like right now?" There was something about Misato's face that reminded Kumoharu of someone else, but he couldn't remember... He simply nodded and took another bite of his burger. He wasn't going to put himself into a position where he would possibly tell Misato something he didn't want her to know.

"When I was about your age, I went through a traumatic experience that caused me to cease any communication for nearly a year. So I kinda know what you feel, that ache in your heart that wants intimate contact more than anything else, and at the same time pushes everyone away. But for whatever reason, I got over it, and now I am pretty outgoing. As I'm sure you can tell."

"Yea."

----

"Genetic Disorder Silpelit?" the lieutenant asked slowly. She had never heard of such a disorder; such biological things were not her forte. However, judging by her superior's tone, Ibuki Maya would be learning much more on the subject.

"It's a very rare loss of function type mutation which was only first documented after the Second Impact. In the initial testing of the first EVA prototype in 2005, the original test pilot was found to have this disorder. Somehow, the lower functions of the brain which are necessary to correctly synchronize with an Evangelion are replaced with a set of disjointed instructions. None of the normal things that a human goes through are affected except for REM sleep." Akagi sat down and placed the clipboard down.

"But the Fourth Children synchronized with the EVA, right?" Ibuki probed.

"That's true, and that's why this is a problem for us. According to the available information, he should not have been able to activate EVA-00, let alone achieve a 29 synchro rate. We have to do more testing with him to determine the cause of this abberance. It's possibly an evolutionary leap forward, caused by the sudden changes which afflicted the world after the Second Impact."

"E-evolutionary?" Maya stuttered, her eyes widened. Ritsuko waved a hand in the air.

"Just a thought, don't worry about it. I'm sure we'll find out more in time. After all, he'll be the first person who's undergone this type of experience."

"How awful..."

"Don't feel bad for him. He made it clear to Commander Ikari that he would comply with anything we asked of him. Also, prepare a DSM-V-TR for him tomorrow."

As the doctor and her subordinate began planning the next day's revised test schedule, Maxwell was following Commander Ikari through the bowels of Central Dogma in silence. He made no note of the direction or any attempt to remember the jumbles of numbers on the various hallways and doors which they had passed through.

At the end of a particularly dark hallway was a door which caught Kumoharu's eye, mainly because that was where Commander Ikari had stopped.

'ARTIFICIAL EVOLUTION LAB #3'

The door suddenly slid open; the young man hadn't noticed Ikari swipe his passcard. Inside was a circular room, wih some kind of large glass tube housed in its center. Above the tube were various types of odd connections and machines spreading up into the ceiling. Small halogens housed above the cylinder were the only sources of light.

Maxwell pushed his glasses up his nose just a bit, unsure of Ikari's intentions. "Rei." The Commander's deep voice resonated through the room over and over as the cylinder in the room suddenly became transparent. Kumoharu's eyes widened for just a second before he quickly turned about face. There was a naked... girl inside the cylinder! Ikari's footsteps moved towards the center, and the whoosh of equalizing air pressures followed.

Judging by the sound of fabrics he heard, Kumoharu guessed that the girl was getting dressed. Of course he didn't dare turn around to check, especially since it was the commander's daughter. The deep sound of being surrounded by machinery was the only thing he heard for what seemed like a long moment, until the sudden feeling of someone touching his shoulder startled him.

He turned around quickly. Sure enough, the girl from the tube was standing before him, her outstretched arm falling slowly to her side. Kumoharu noticed her hair and eyes first, before he even realized she was wearing a sleeveless white plugsuit. She looked up at him, her cold eyes reminding him of the gaze he saw in the mirror.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly, her eyes never breaking contact with his own. Strangely enough, he found that he was stuck on her.

"The Fourth Children," he responded slowly. He had never referred to himself as such before, and it felt awkward. "Maxwell Kumoharu." Her eyes softened and she seemed to sigh just a bit. "And who are you?"

"Ayanami Rei, the First Children," she said serenely. "I've missed your company." She seemed suddenly saddened when Kumoharu gave her a very confused look. She turned back towards the commander and said, "He does not remember."

"Rei, Kumoharu; in time things will become more clear to both of you. For now, though, just try to do your best," Ikari said.

In the depths of Maxwell's mind, the state of mind which had remained dormant began to stir. He didn't realize it, but merely felt a kind of nostalgiac deja vu. Ikari Gendo was counting on his awakening. He was, after all, insurance.

----

"He seems to lack a certain kind of humanity," Akagi stated matter-of-factly.

"How so?" Captain Katsuragi looked over her shoulder at the doctor, who continued going over her notes concerning the psychological and mental testing that the Fourth Children had undergone earlier in the week. Misato always thought Ritsuko looked strange when wearing her glasses; they seemed to magnify the tiredness which seemed to plague NERV's staff in those days.

"No matter what kind of questions we asked him, he seemed to be completely free of prejudice. In addition, with the exception of human contact, it would seem that this kid isn't really afraid of anything. He lacks cowardice, I suppose. It's so strange... but I think he'll make a good pilot."

"You mean test subject," Misato countered. Ritsuko looked up from her papers for just a second before letting a little yawn escape. "He doesn't have an EVA. You knew about Unit 01's pilot before, didn't you? So why is he still scheduled to attempt an activation in Unit 01?"

"Ikari Shinji, the commander's own son... Yes, I knew as soon as it was decided by the Marduk Institution."

"What is that supposed to mean! How was the Fourth chosen before the Third?" Katsuragi took a quick step at the doctor's desk and slammed her hands down on it. "Why wasn't I informed of this before? Answer me!"

"You didn't need to know, so there was no reason for it," Akagi calmly responded. "Now, I'm done briefing you on the Fourth. I need to get to the second test lab for the compatability tests. I would suggest that you follow."

Maxwell Kumoharu, the increasingly contested Fourth Children, was sitting in the entry plug again. Already he was hardened inside and out, his eyes sharpened and his heart cold. This was his job, to pilot EVA. He had no other reason to be in the NERV organization. Because of this he was determined to succeed. He had taken a look at Unit 01 before changing into his black plug suit. The huge horn and jutting chin... EVA truly were monsters.

As the bridge operators gave out their usual instructions and updates, Kumoharu did not listen. This time would be just like Unit 00. The activation would go smoothly. It had to. He suddenly remembered the words of the base commander in Nevada.

' "_Now son, I mean Pilot Maxwell, piloting EVA is something that not everyone can do. You are special. We have to use you, even though you're just a kid. Using children to defend ourselves against an unknown enemy is a shameful thing, but as an honorary member of the United States military, you have the obligation to succeed. You're a strong young man, and nothing can stand in your way if you wish it so_." '

"Nothing can stand in my way," Kumoharu quietly repeated in the LCL. Things seemed to grow dim in the entry plug, even though the levels of activation continued on. His head suddenly throbbed... then his whole body. The darkness began to surround him, but he gladly accepted it. The throbs which were his blood beating through his body were the only thing he could feel.

He shivered a bit as his extremities began to tingle. Pain receptors in his fingers and toes began firing soon after, spreading up towards his trunk like a fire. Kumoharu had never experienced such an odd kind of hurt, so he continued to endure it.

--

"Unit 01, activation successful! However, all communication with the pilot has been severed!"

"Video and audio links, plug suit communication, and as connections to the pilot are unavailable!"

"Try to reconnect!" Akagi ordered. The three lieutenants typed away at their keyboards.

"Unable to do so," Aoba quickly responded. "It's being blocked by the EVA itself!"

"That's not possible!" Misato shouted. "That's it. Emergency entry plug ejection!" Klaxons and warning lights flooded the room suddenly. The EVA remained activated and unmoving, staring back through the test lab's observation window.

--

The throbbing and pain ceased suddenly, replaced by an unfamiliar warmth. '_Am I dead_?' he thought.

'_To be dead... Huh, things would be much easier this way...Oh well_.'

There was a light above him, a light so beautiful that it put Kumoharu in complete awe. Something came out of the light, a being of serenity, and reached out towards him.

'_Who are you? Ayanami_?' was all he could say as the body of light touched his face. Immediately, his body was filled with such a crippling sadness.

Then it was all gone. The sadness, the warmth, the body was gone, replaced with the same dark. The solid form of the entry plug returned soon enough.

Maxwell Kumoharu, Fourth Children, had a tough time extracting himself from the plug. The subsequent shower was unsatisfying. His clothes seemed coarse, or maybe his skin was just damaged.

He had successfully activated Unit 01. Just as Unit 00, he felt as if a part of himself had gone missing inside that thing.

The six minutes of silence which occurred were a mystery to everyone. Even the pilot seemed to be very obtuse when asked about any details concerning the blackout. EVA-01's datalogs were equally unhelpful.

Fuyutsuki sighed and placed a tile down on the Mah-jongg board. "The Fourth... He still troubles me. First, the questions about his disorder. Now, the missing minutes inside EVA-01."

"He is an Abberance. Thankfully, we found him before the old men did. With his connections to those events ten years ago... Hm."

"So you finally have found someone who agreed to being used when confronted with such a question?" Ikari cleared his throat just a little. "Oh, no," the professor groaned. "You haven't spoken with him, have you?"

"I will, sooner or later," Ikari sighed as he placed a winning tile on the board. "Things will slowly begin falling into our hands."

END Chapter: 02


End file.
